Ramadan in Konya of Our Childhood

A flare near Shams, two cannons echoing to Meram, mahya lights between twin minarets, and the rush to Dondurmacı Şaban after tarawih— Konya's Ramadan childhood lives in a chain of sounds, lights and shared tables

TIME, FLARE, CANNONS, ADHAN

Among the attar shops, Saatçi Muvakkit Ali Efendi-known as the man who knew how to set the time-would adjust the time, and at iftar hour he would fire a flare in front of his house near Shams. Seeing this, the official at Alaaddin would fire a blank cannon to announce iftar. Immediately after that, the official in Köyceğiz would also fire the cannon. The reason for firing two cannons was so that the villages on the Meram side could also hear it. One minute after the cannon shots, the call to prayer would begin. Some of the public did not rely on the cannon shot and would wait for the adhan(azan).

RAMADAN LIGHTS AND MAHYA

Konya would be decorated with lights and candles during Ramadan. At the beginning of Ramadan, they write "Welcome, the Month of Ramadan" would be hung between the twin minarets of our Aziziye and Sultan Selim Mosques, and at the end of Ramadan, these lights write "Farewell tothe Month of Ramadan" would be displayed.

AFTER TARAWIH: DONDURMACI ŞABAN

At the corner of Aziziye Mosque, Dondurmacı Şaban would sell soda on blocks of ice after the tarawih prayer, and those leaving the mosque would run to Şaban.

HOME IFTARS AND THE FIRST COURSES

In those days, iftar tables were never without guests. But these were not restaurant invitations;

they were home invitations prepared with care and effort. Iftar appetizers such as pastrami, sausage, jam, cheese and olives would be placed in the centre on a small tray, and the fast would be broken after the cannon was fired. Then yogurt soup would be served, followed by a dish called Orta made from lamb ribs with eggplant, and then pastry (suböreği) turned repeatedly on the grill.

DESSERTS, THEN OKRA SOUP

When it was time for dessert; in the early years telkadayıf (shredded wheat in syrup) was served, and in later years "ekmekkadayıf" (crumpets in syrup) with clotted cream adorned the tables. After dessert came okra soup.

STUFFED LEAVES, RICE, COMPOTE, TEA

Stuffed grape leaves, accompanied by sheep's yogurt in winter stuffed cabbage, in summer stuffed grape leaves), followed by rice with meat, and finally apricot or sour cherry compote depending on the season would complete the meal. Five minutes later, strong brewed tea would be served.

EVENING PRAYER, TARAWIH ROUTES

In between, the evening prayer would be performed, and for tarawih some would go to Kapu Mosque while others went to Bulgur Tekke.

The congregation of Bulgur Tekke among the spice sellers were known as the "early-goers." Shopkeepers who needed to open their stores and those who wanted to go to the cinema would hurry to Bulgur Tekke.

COFFEE, CONVERSATION, RADIO "DONNN"

After tarawih, people would return home and drink Turkish coffee. Those were the years without television, filled with conversation. Occasionally, when the news hour arrived. the radio would be turned on to listen to the bulletins that began with the "donnn" sound. Meanwhile, fruit would be served, followed by another round of tea. Late at night, everyone would return to their homes.